​Round 10 of the 2026 Formula 1 season heads to Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix, scheduled from July 17 to 19. Kimi Antonelli’s lead in the drivers’ standings over his nearest rival, Mercedes’ George Russell, has narrowed to 25 points after he failed to score in the main race at Silverstone. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc claimed victory at Silverstone, finishing ahead of Russell and his teammate Lewis Hamilton.
The 44-lap race at Spa is set to start at 14:00 BST on Sunday. Leclerc arrives in Belgium with momentum after a dramatic win at Silverstone, while Russell and Hamilton will be aiming to rebound on home soil for Mercedes.
BBC coverage of the Spa weekend will include a comprehensive race weekend commentary across BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, Sports Extra 2, BBC Sounds, and the BBC Sport website and app. You can also listen by asking smart speakers to “play Sports Extra” or “play Sports Extra 2.” Don’t miss any episode of the Chequered Flag podcast. For the first time this year, the post-race show for every grand prix will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer and YouTube.
Event schedule in BST:
– Friday, July 17
– First practice: 12:30–13:30 (Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app, and smart speakers)
– Second practice: 16:00–17:00 (Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app, and smart speakers)
– Saturday, July 18
– Third practice: 11:30–12:30 (Sports Extra 2, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app, and smart speakers)
– Qualifying: 15:00–16:00 (Sports Extra 2, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app, and smart speakers)
– Sunday, July 19
– Race: 14:00 (Sports Extra 2, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app, and smart speakers)
Spa’s last race, won by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, was delayed for 90 minutes due to heavy rain. This year, Belgium could deliver the first truly wet weekend of the season, with rain forecast across all three days of track action.
Forecast details anticipate light rain on Friday and Saturday with a gentle breeze and temperatures generally in the mid-20s Celsius (23–25°C). There is around a 65% chance of rain during qualifying, which takes place at 16:00 local time on Saturday. Sunday’s schedule suggests possible drizzle at lights out, but with it likely to brighten as the grand prix begins, the temperature could peak around 23°C. The Sunday start time is 14:00 local time, with conditions potentially improving during the race.
As the weekend unfolds, fans can expect another competitive battle at Spa, where the weather could play a decisive role in strategy, tyre choice, and pit-stop timing, adding drama reminiscent of last year’s action. With Leclerc, Russell, and Hamilton all in the mix, the Belgian Grand Prix promises to be a key chapter in the 2026 title fight as teams chase valuable championship points on one of Formula 1’s most iconic circuits.